Chapter 10 Chapter 10 A Review of the Past

Just before ten o'clock in the evening, Lady Polina Barnett and Jasper Hobson knocked at the side door of the fort.It was a great joy to see them back, for they were thought to be in danger of surviving.But when everyone heard the news of the old Norman's death, the joy was replaced by deep sorrow.This upright man was loved by everyone, and people expressed deep regret in the memory.As for the few brave and faithful Eskimos, they did not even bother to come to the fort after accepting the heartfelt thanks of the lieutenant and his companion with indifference.What they do seems natural to them.This is not the first time they have saved lives.Immediately they were back on the lake again, and ventured across it day and night, hunting otters and waterfowl.

The night of Jasper Hobson's return, the next day, June 1, and the night of the 1st and 2nd were all spent in rest.The squad felt good, but the lieutenant decided to start on the morning of the second, if the weather was all right, and with great luck the storm died down. Sergeant Feldon made all the reserves in the trade station available to the squad.Several of the dog harnesses had been replaced with new ones, so that, before setting off, Jasper Hobson saw their sleds parked at the gate in order. Say goodbye.Everyone thanked Sergeant Feldon for his hospitality.Paulina Barnett also joined the crowd to express her gratitude.Finally, the sergeant and his brother-in-law Lang shook hands tightly and said goodbye.

Each pair got into its own sledge, this time Paulina Barnett and the Lieutenant in one, March and Sergeant Long behind. According to the suggestion of the Indian chief, Jasper Hobson decided to take a shortcut to reach the coast of America, going straight to the seashore from Fort Confidance.After looking at a rough map of the terrain, he decided that it would be better to go straight down to the Copperman Valley, the great river that flows into Kurorman Bay. Between Fort Confidant and the mouth of the river the distance is more than a degree and a half—that is, eighty-five to ninety miles.The shape of the harbour, a deep crescent, terminates at the northern end of Cape Crusensch, from which the coastline runs sharply westward to Cape Bathurst, high above the 70th parallel.

So Jasper Hobson changed the course he had hitherto been reversed, and headed eastward, in order to reach the river in a straight line in a few hours. The next day, June 3rd, reached the river in the afternoon.The water of the Copperman River is pure and rapid. At this time, the river broke free from the shackles of the ice and flowed endlessly in the wide valley.Then, the sled was galloping quickly on the flat land.During the trip, Jasper Hobson told his female companion the historical stories of the passing areas.Between the lieutenant and the lady traveler there existed a real closeness and sincere friendship; this too was due to their situation and their age.Mrs Paulina Barnett loved to learn, she had an instinct for discovering new things, and therefore loved hearing stories of explorers.

Jasper Hobson knew his North America perfectly, and he was more than capable of satisfying the curiosity of his female companion. "About 90 years ago," he said to her, "the Copperman River was unexplored and the Hudson's Bay Company discovered it. But, ma'am, it's just as often happens in the scientific world." That way, in looking for one thing, one finds another. Columbus was looking for Asia and found America." "So what are the people of the Hudson's Bay Company looking for?" asked Mrs. Polina Barnett. "Is it the famous North-West Passage?"

"No, ma'am," laughed the young lieutenant, "no. A century ago, corporations had little interest in using this new channel, and it usually did them as much as their opponents. It was even declared In 1741, a man named Christopher Middleton was sent by the British government to investigate this area. He was publicly accused of accepting a bribe of 5,000 pounds from the company to claim that he was in the middle of the two oceans. There is no passage, and there cannot be a passage." "What a disgrace to the reputation of this famous company!" Pauline Barnett cautioned.

"I don't excuse it at this point," replied Jasper Hobson. "I would even add that Parliament severely condemned the practice, and in 1745 promised a prize of £20,000 to the discoverer of the passage. Hence two reckless travelers in that year: William Moore Paul and Francis Smith went to Ripals Bay in an attempt to find the passage so desired. They were unsuccessful, and after a year and a half they had to return to England." "But didn't the other captains go immediately to look for traces?" asked Lady Paulina Barnett. "No, ma'am, in thirty years, notwithstanding the considerable bounties afforded by Parliament, any attempt to make a geographical survey of this American region, or British American region--which is the best term to retain-- Neither appeared. It was not until 1769 that an employee of the firm attempted to resume the unfinished business of More and Smith."

"Has the company changed its narrow selfishness, Mr. Jasper?" "No, ma'am, not yet. Samuel Hearne, - the clerk's name - was only on a mission to find out the state of a copper mine pointed out by a local native hunter. The clerk, on November 6, 1769 Leaving Fort Prince Gal on the Churchill River near the west coast of Hudson Bay. Samuel Hearn bravely headed northwest; but hunger and cold forced him to return to Fort Prince Gal. Fortunately, it was not A discouraged man. On February 23 of the following year, he set out again with a few Indians. This second journey was really exhausting. Samuel Hearne hoped to rely on game and fish and rice bread However, he was often short of food. Even once, for seven days, he could only eat wild fruits, old skins and roasted bones. The brave traveler finally returned to the trading station with a little strength, but found nothing. But he did not Not discouraged. On December 7, 1770, he set out a third time, and after nineteen months of struggle, on July 13, 1772, he discovered the Copperman River and reached its mouth, where he declared Saw the ocean. This is the first time anyone has set foot on the North Coast of America."

"Then the North-West Passage, the link between the Atlantic and the Pacific Ocean, has not yet been discovered?" asked Lady Paulina Barnett. "No, ma'am," replied the Lieutenant, "and it has been sought after by many risk-loving sailors ever since! Philip in 1773, James Kirk and Clark from 1776 to 1779, Kirk from 1815 to 1818 Zeb, along with Ross, Parley, Franklin, and many others, have devoted themselves to this daunting task, but to no avail. The only explorer until our time, the intrepid Mike Kluer, was the only one who actually crossed the Arctic Ocean , who has crossed from one ocean to another."

"Indeed, Mr. Jasper," replied Lady Paulina Barnett, "it is a fact of geography that we Englishmen should be proud of! But tell me, the Hudson's Bay Company ultimately Having tolerated this, did not some traveler other than Samuel Hearn be encouraged to explore?" "It did, ma'am, thanks to the company, Captain Franklin made a trip between 1819 and 1822, exactly between the River Herne and Cape Turnagain. The expedition was full of hardships. Several times , the travelers were completely deprived of food. Two Canadians were killed and devoured by their companions... Despite all the sufferings, Captain Franklin traveled 5,550 miles along the coast of North America A place that had never been set before him."

"Here's a man of great energy!" added Paulina Barnett. "He's proven it. Despite all his suffering, he's off again to conquer the North Pole." "Yes," replied Jasper Hobson, "and the intrepid explorer died a brutal death on the territory he discovered. But it is now confirmed that not all of Franklin's companions were with him." lost their lives. Many of these unfortunates must still wander in this icy solitude. Ah! indeed, I shall be saddened to think of this dreadful desertion! One day, Madame Polina," the Lieutenant was rather excited And he added affirmatively, "One day, I will search and search this land where no one knows about the disaster, and..." "And on this day," replied Mrs. Polina Barnett, taking the Lieutenant's hand, "I shall accompany you on your expedition. Yes! Like you, I have had the thought several times Yes. Thinking of our countrymen, some Englishmen perhaps waiting for our help. My heart is as excited as yours...” "It's too late for most of the unfortunate, ma'am, but it's just in time for some, believe it!" "May God understand you, Mr. Hobson!" replied Mrs. Polina Barnett, "and I add that the clerks of the company live near the coast, and I think they are better suited than others to accomplish this humanitarian task." task." "I agree with you, ma'am," replied the lieutenant, "because these people are used to the extreme cold of the Arctic. They have proved it on many occasions. They were not the ones who helped Bailey travel in 1834." Captain Ke? That trip discovered King William's Land, where Franklin's death took place. And it was just two of us: the brave Dyce and Simpson who were honored by the Governor of Hudson's Bay in 1838. To expedition to the shores of the Arctic Ocean,--this expedition first explored the land of Victoria--Is it true? Therefore, I believe that the prospect of the eventual conquest of the Arctic continent belongs to our company. Its trading stations gradually go north--Fur Animals Sanctuary,—a fortress will one day stand at the North Pole, at the intersection of all the meridians of the earth." In this and many subsequent conversations, Jasper Hobson tells the story of his own adventures since joining the company, his competition with rival companies, and his desire to go north and west to the uninhabited lands The desire to explore.And on Lady Paulina Barnet's side, she also narrates her own long journeys in the tropics.She talked about the trips she had taken and the trips she planned to take someday.This pleasant exchange of stories between the lieutenant and the female traveler makes long journeys a lot of fun. At this moment, the dogs were running, dragging the sled, heading north.The Copperman Valley apparently widens closer to the Arctic Ocean.The hills that are not very steep on both sides are getting flatter.A few resinous bushes appeared here and there, to lighten the monotony of the rather unfamiliar landscape.Some small ice floes that flow down the river are still resisting the sun's rays and refuse to melt, but the number is getting smaller and smaller day by day, and a small boat, or even a small boat, can go down the river without any difficulty. Natural dikes or any rocky obstruction.The bed of the Copperman River is both deep and wide.The snowmelt kept flowing into the river, and the clear water flowed quickly, but never in violent rapids.The course of the river, which is very meandering in the upper reaches, straightens gradually for several miles.As for the river bank, it is wide and flat, composed of hard fine sand, and some places are covered with dry and short grass mats, which are suitable for sled sliding and formation deployment.There are no ramps, so travel is smooth on the flat ground. So, the team traveled quickly day and night—if the concept of "day and night" can also be used in this area, because the sun here only draws an arc that is almost in line with the horizon and hardly disappears.True night at this latitude lasts no more than two hours, with dawn following dusk at this time of year.In addition, the skies were clear and clear despite a little mist in the distance, so the team traveled in excellent conditions. For two days, people continued to travel along the Copperman River without hindrance.The area around the river is rarely visited by fur animals but is rich in birds, numbering in the thousands.Mink, beaver, ermine, and fox were almost completely invisible, which could not but worry the lieutenant.He wondered if these areas, like those in the south, had been abandoned by overhunted carnivores and rodents.This is entirely possible, since one often comes across traces of bivouacs and extinguished ashes, which testify to the recent or distant passage of Aboriginal or other hunters.Jasper Hobson saw clearly that his expedition should be pushed farther north, and that he had probably only traveled part of the way by the time he reached the mouth of the Copperman.Anxious to step onto the shore that Samuel Hearne could vaguely see, he urged the squad forward as fast as he could. Besides, everyone was as anxious as Jasper Hobson.Everyone is in a hurry to reach the coast of the Arctic Ocean in the shortest possible time.An indescribable attraction drove these intrepid pioneers forward.The charm of the unknown lured them.Perhaps the real toil of the expedition will begin on this shore so longed to be reached.All are eager to face difficulties and move directly towards the final goal.Their travel at this time was simply through a region that did not directly interest them, but from the shores of the Arctic Ocean the real exploration would begin.Everyone was already looking forward to being in this place, a few hundred miles to the west, tangent to the 70-degree line. Finally on June 5, four days after leaving Fort Confidence, Jasper Hobson saw the Copperman River widen out.The west coast follows a slightly curving coastline almost straight to the north.To the east, on the contrary, the coastline curves to the horizon. Jasper Hobson stopped immediately, pointing to his companions the boundless sea with his hands.